A century-old black wood bridge

Origin: According to the elders in the village, the area where the reservoir is located was originally a stream. The area was a forest, so the villagers built a cart path to travel around. During the rainy season, the water level rose so high that it was impossible to travel. The villagers therefore joined together to build a bridge to cross the stream, which was 20 meters long and 4 meters wide. However, when a canal was dug and a dam was built to create a reservoir, the water became stagnant. The villagers therefore built a small bridge to travel around, but it was not yet completed. The bridge was simply made of wooden beams laid down, and it meandered according to the shallowness of the water in the reservoir. In 1964, the earthen dam of the reservoir broke due to the heavy water flow. The Irrigation Department had to fill in the soil and repair it until it was usable. Water was stored, and in 1966, the Gaedam Anusorn School was established. It was in this year that the entire bridge was built, which was 453.5 meters long and 1 meter wide. The additional benefit was to allow students to travel to school in the morning and return in the evening, as a link between Huakua village and Gaedam village.

This ancient wooden bridge is worthy of preservation as a memorial for future generations. It should be promoted as a major tourist attraction. Ban Ga Dam also has many things that could be tourist attractions, such as Nong Ga Dam, the wooden bridge, and the E-pong boat. Additionally, the traditional way of life could be a point of interest for tourists.

A bridge stretching over a kilometer long is currently being repaired amidst the vast Nong Ga Dam, surrounded by green lotus ponds, aquatic plants, and diverse natural life. This unseen bridge is considered a hidden gem.

Traveling from Bangkok to Maha Sarakham, we arrived at Wat Daeng Dueng in Kaeng Dam district. Our original destination was the city center of Maha Sarakham, where we had business to attend to. However, we took the opportunity to visit this hidden gem while we were in the area.

The songthaew to Ban Ka Dam, which is about 25 kilometers from Maha Sarakham city, is parked next to the Saem Thai department store, near the Maha Sarakham bus terminal. The journey takes about 20 minutes, but the buses run every hour. However, on the way back, you may have to wait a long time as there are not many buses going into the city. It can take almost 3 hours for a bus to arrive.

Landmark

The weather is pleasantly cool today because it is going to rain. The sky is overcast and there is no sun.

Unfortunately, it rained heavily, forcing me to run for cover and wait for the rain to subside before returning to Mahasarakham city. I waited for the rain to stop and for a car to take me back to the city for about 5 hours. It is a small town that is difficult to travel to. I planned to rent a car, but there were no rental services available. I recommend driving your own car if possible.

In Maha Sarakham city, along the Khlong Samthawi, there are many attractive restaurants. I didn't take any pictures for review. Most of them are barbecue restaurants, shabu restaurants, liquor stores, pubs, and bars. I recommend the Shabu Indy restaurant, which offers affordable prices.